Snapshots: Why people marched on May Day

Chris Gomez, 31, has temporary work papers and works as a pizza delivery man. "We—me, as a Hispanic, I don't consider ourselves as bad people, we're just here to try to get a better life, get better jobs, support our families. That's all we want," he said

"I'm here because they deported my daughter's Dad,” said Patricia Tapia of Lacey. That was in August 2011. Tapia’s daughter will be 3 in June. “She really doesn't remember him and that makes me really sad. I want her father to be there for her."

"We think having people come in properly to the country here and work. They contribute to the economy here … Allow them a good path to do it correctly, legally,” said Paul Shubert, left, speaking on behalf of a group of Boeing Aerospace Machinists.

"I'm here because I used to be an immigrant. I became a U.S. citizen now. I'm here for people's rights—for them to start having better jobs, for the economy, to support everybody and come forth like a family," said David Riojas, 23.

“There are many people here struggling, suffering poor conditions … taking abuses at work, where they cannot really complain about what is going on in fear of they could be deported,” said Juan Galindo, an organizer with LiUNA.

"I'm here because I like the United States. I'm Mexican, I need papers,” says Myna Darwin, who says she’s been in the U.S. for 25 years. All her children were born here, says Darwin. "Obama, please! For everybody, papers!"

"We feel that all the immigrants should have a right to citizenship. They pay taxes. Even the undocumented are having taxes and social security held out of their checks and they'll never see the benefit of it," said Judy Harris with SEIU.

Dannika Renee, left, and Ali Alonso, are both students at Seattle Central Community College. Why do they support immigration reform? "Because we're all humans?” said Renee. “’Why not?’ is really the question we should be asking ourselves.

Bellamy Pailthorp

Thousands of people gathered in Seattle for the May Day March for Workers and Immigrant Rights. So we asked some of them: What inspired you to march?